Comme un frère

The directors and star of Comme un frere were in town for a screening at the London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival yesterday. The screening I attended looked to be a sell-out, but I can only think that the audience was primarily attracted by the cunning use of a "boys on the beach" promotional photograph rather than any Fesitival buzz surrounding the film itself.

One of the directors spoke rather charmingly (in French) about how he was inspired by British cinema, particularly by the gritty realism of Mike Leigh and Stephen Frears. He found their films, however, too "noir" and hoped to make something more optimistic in Comme un frere. Well, all I can say is that the French idea of optimism is like the Luftwaffe's idea of town planning, so hopes were not particularly high.

Comme un frere (Like a Brother) is the tale of Zack (Benoit Deliere), a pretty blond lad who has come to Paris to explore his sexuality. He clubs, he hooks up on chat lines, he has a beauty routine that would put Elizabeth Arden to shame. But, as seems to be obligatory in all French cinema, he is pining for something.

That something is Romain (the extraordinarily beautiful Thibault Boucaux), his best friend, left behind in the Styx when Zack moved to the big city. Scenes of Zack and Romain on the beach, hanging about in cafés and even (platonically) sharing a bed have a tendresse that is deeply touching - but their scenes are filmed in a washed out grey that removes any sense of what made this time special for young Zack.

By contrast, the Paris scenes have a colourful vibrancy that makes one wonder why on earth Zack would be pining for his dreary seaside town, with or without the lovely Romain.

If you're thinking "It seems to me I've heard that song before" then you've nailed the problem with Comme un frere. Young men with unrequited crushes on their best friends have been a staple of gay cinema since the year dot, and Comme un frere has nothing new or fresh to add. The performances are generally good, with some real star potential from Boucaux, and the sex scenes are filmed with urgency and passion, but the inconclusive ending (which really does seem as if the producers just ran out of money and had to stop filming) and the absence of anything to make this stand out from the crowd make it a fairly lacklustre affair.

'Comme un frère' (Like a Brother) is a brief film by writers and directors Bernard Alapetite and Cyril Legann that succinctly examines the development of identity of a young lad over a period of less than a year. The technique of telling the story of the coming of sexual age of a boy is one that may confuse some viewers - the present is combined with the past in a patchwork manner, the only key that the past is the subject is the use of near monochrome film color that successfully suggests the blur that past events now faded affect the senses - becomes one of the more unique aspects of this little French film.

The story opens in Paris where young Sébastien/AKA Zack (Benoît Delière) sits in a café with his current boyfriend Bruno (Johnny Amaro) and lets it be known that it is his birthday. Bruno's questioning as to why Sébastien is not in a celebratory mood begins flashbacks of a year ago when Sébastien lived in the small coastal town of La Baule where he doted on his best friend Romain (Thibault Boucaux). Despite Romain's devotion and physical closeness to Sébastien, Romain is in love with Sophie (Amandine Maugy) whose best friend Marine (Adeline Ishiomin) is trying to attract the love interest of Sébastien. The four are close, but something is missing: Sébastien loves Romain and while the two have some beautifully tender moments together, Romain is not the gay boy Sébastien needs.

Sébastien leaves his provincial town for Paris, connects with his father (Michel Derville) and confides his true identity as a gay young man. His father is warmly supportive and suggests Sébastien move in with him. Sébastien (now called 'Zack') begins to visit clubs and eventually is absorbed into the gay life, yet he still dreams of Romain. After months pass and Zack is in a comfortable relationship (Patrick Esilva), Romain comes to Paris and the two now young men meet in a park - but where will this new reunion lead? The actors are for the most part very fine - especially Thibault Boucaux and Adeline Ishiomin - and the sensual aspects of the story are well captured with restraint. With a running time of only 55 minutes the story flies past the eyes much in the way memories bounce in the psyche and it is this manner that makes the story fresh. There should be more to come from the creators and certainly from some of the fine new actors in this film. In French with English subtitles. Grady Harp

I saw the movie first and then read the reviews posted here. It's a charming movie and I felt really good after watching it. It's one I might buy. The flashbacks were a bit disorienting at first but not so difficult to keep track of things. I found the color differences to really set the atmosphere. Unlike one reviewer I didn't try to lighten the image in order to see more of the sex - I assumed the intimate scenes were filmed that way for a reason, and I think I was right.

The acting is really good, and the actors believable. I've seen some low budget films that were amateur by comparison. This one felt like a real movie. The leads are incredibly good looking. The actor playing Romain (the straight best friend) is almost too pretty - but once I realized that then he was less of a distraction. The lead, Seb/Zack did a fantastic job with the character. I will see if he's done other movies.

What also appealed to me is the use of good drama - no violence, no deaths, no gay bashing. It's an unrequited love story that happens to have a gay lead, and as such was really enjoyable. oh yeah, and the eye candy wasn't bad either. I've never seen so many hot ass shots (outside of Cadinot, which another reviewer references). If you enjoy a good story then check this one out.

far to be a bad film, its sin is the less courage to give a specific voice. the courage to be more than a sketch. because it propose suggestions. the relation between Sebastian and Romain. the relation between Sebastian and Bruno. the relation with Marine. or with his father. the result is a kind of "Pointilism". and the theme of young man looking for better life in Paris. nothing wrong and the tone is reasonable. but the film seems be a dance without music. and exercise to say the same well known story of the same selfish young man.

It was a good movie. I don't really like when a movie flips between past and present and this movie is no different. I would have like it more as a straightforward story, but nonetheless, it was fun and entertaining. I liked the actors and their relationships, especially Sebastian and Romain's. A lot of the time it seemed like Romain was gay, or at least bi, even though he never admitted so.

What I didn't quite understand, though, was the ending. It didn't imply anything so Romain and Sebastian could have gotten together, but I seriously doubt it. Besides, I liked Bruno a lot more. It could have been a longer movie, and I would have liked it if the movie had been longer, not necessarily continuing the story, but merely adding parts in the middle. I would have liked to know more about Bruno and Sebastian's relationship and I like to imagine that when the movie is over they will continue dating.